Toy



W. H. SPINKS July 10, 1934.

Filed May 27, 193.5

Patented July 10, 1934 TOY William H. Spinks, Washington, D. C.

' Application May 27, 1933, Serial No. 673,283

3 Claims.

This invention relates to an aerial .toy including a propeller provided with a pendant shaft- 10 Another object of the invention is to provide devices of this kind with a support by means f which the toy may be held steady during the application of the propellingfforce.

Other ob-jects of the invention will become apparent as the detailed description thereof proceeds.

in the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the toy in operation;

Figure 2 is a central longitudinal section through the toy operating mechanism and i1- lustrating one form of the toy in position ready to be operated;

Figure 3 is a perspective View of a modified form of the toy operator; and

Figure 4 is a plan View of one form of the propeller adapted for use in devices of this kind.

In carrying the invention into effect, I employ a supporting member preferably in the form of a stick 1 which can be easily transported. The stick 1 is adapted to be detachably secured in the lower end of a tube 2 having a centrally bored bearing plug 3 fixed in the upper end thereof. A tube 4 having its internal diameter equal to the external diameter of the tube 2 is tted over the upper end of the tube 2 and is Xed thereto. The tube 4 is provided at its upper end with a detachable centrally bored plug 5 having a shoulder 6 formed between its ends to be supported by the upper end of the tube 4.

The tube 4 is provided in the space between the plugs 3 and 5 with a lateral recess '7 through which may be passed the free end of a cord 8 for imparting rotation to the stem 9 of the 45 aerial toy propeller. The lower end of the stem 9 is adapted to be supported by the upper end of the stick 1; and the contacting ends of the stem 9 and stick 1 are preferably rounded off so as to impose as little friction as possible between these ends during the rotation of the stem 9. The upper end of the stem 9 has a propeller 10 fixed thereon. The propeller 10 may comprise any suitable number of blades twisted so as to have suflicient lifting effect upon rotation of the 55 stem 9 to cause the propeller and stem to rise (Cl. l1li-51) into the air after release of the stem from the cord 8.

The propeller 10 is preferably stamped out of a thin sheet of material such as Celluloid and has an aperture 11 formed at the center to t snugly over the stein 9. The propeller is suitably xed to the stem 9 at the upper end thereof by sleeves 12 and 13 also formed of Celluloid and secured to the stem 9 by the usual Celluloid solvent.

It has been found from actual use of the toy that for best operation the stem 9 should not exceed the diameter of the circle enclosing the blades of the propeller 10. It has also been found that the stem should not project for any great distance above the upper part of the propeller because such` projection tends to unbalance the toy during its flight through the air. .The toy is adapted to be caught during its descent in the countersink 14 formed in the upper end of the bore through the plug 5.

In the modification shown in Figure 3, the tube 2 is eliminated and the stick 1 is inserted directly into a tube 15 having plugs similar to the plugs 3 and 5 spaced apart and arranged at opposite ends of a central slot 16 which serves the same purpose as the slot '7 of the form of the invention shown in Figure 2.

The plugs in the modication shown in Figure 3 are designated by the reference characters 17 and 18, the plug 17 being secured in the tube 15 at the lower end of the slot 16, and the plug 18 forming a detachable closure for the top of the tube 15.

To operate the aerial toy, the propeller is removed from its support. The detachable plug 5 is slid along the stem 9 toward the propeller end of said stem. The cord 8 is then wound around the stem and the free end of the cord passed through the tube 4 and out through the central slot 7. The stem and plug 5 are then inserted in the tube 4 until the lower end of the stem restsupon the top of the stick 1 with the free end of the cord extending outwardly from the tube 4 as shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawing. The lower end of the stick l is intended to be supported by the ground and to be held substantially vertical while the operator pulls Vthe cord 8 and imparts rotation to the stem 9.

Just as soon as the cord releases the stem, the rotation of the propeller 10 causes the entire aerial toy to be propelled to a great height.

The device, as previously stated, is intended to be made from scraps of celluloid. This material presents a great advantage in manufactur- Cil Cil

(il)Y ing a toy of this character, inasmuch as the assembling of parts require no special machinery, or the use of screws or other fastening devices. It will be evident that the plug 3 can be secured in position by the use of a little celluloid solvent applied to the contacting surfaces during the assembling of the device. This also applies to the assembling of the members 2, 4 and 6. The stick 1 is intended to be secured in the tube 2 by fricf tion fit so that it may be adjusted to accommodate various lengths of stern 9.

In the form of the invention shown in Figure 2, the tubes 2 and 4 are shown as separate elements. It is to be understood however, that, when assembled, the tubes 2, 3 and 4 and plug are to be considered as a single tube with the plug 3 fixed therein. It may be advisable, under certain circumstances, as for example in using up scrap material, to make these tubes separate as shown in Figure 2 to facilitate assembly of the plug 3 in proper position relative to the slot 7. In the form of the invention shown in Figure 3, the lower end of the slot 16 forms a very good gauge for positioning the plug 17 in the tube 15 as it is intended to have the upper face of plug 17 aligned with the lower end of the slot 16.

It is thought that the invention and numerous of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description and it is obvious that numerous changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the several parts without departing from the spirit or scope of my invention, or sacricing any of its attendant advantages; the form herein described being a preferred embodiment for the purpose of illustrating my invention. i

What I claim is:

1. An aerial toy comprising atubular handle having a slot formed therein intermediate its ends, a centrally bored bearing plug xed in said tube at one end of said slot, a second centrally bored plug detachably mounted in the end of the tube opposite to the rst named plug, the second bearing plug being provided with a shoulder adapted to contact with one end of said tube when the plug is mounted therein, a stem rotatably mounted in the boresoi said bearing plugs, and a propeller fixed to one end of said stein.

. 2. An aerial toy comprising a tubular handle having a slot formed therein intermediate its ends, a centrally bored bearing plug xed in said tube at one end of said slot, a second centrally bored bearing plug detachably mounted in the end of the tube opposite to the rst named plug,

the second bearing plug being provided with a shoulder adapted to contact with one end of said tube whenthe plug is mounted therein, a stern rotatably mounted in the bores of said bearing plugs,a propeller xed to one end or said stern, and a solid plug adjustable in said tube toward and from the first named bearing plug to form a support for the other end of said stem.

3. An aerial toy comprising a stick, a tube adjustable on said stick and having a slot between its ends, a bearing plug fixed in said tube at one end of said slot, a shouldered bearing plug detachably mounted on the upper end of said tube, said plugs being provided with aligned bores,a stem slidably and rotatably mounted in said bores, a propeller secured to one end of said stern, the bore of the upper plug being countersunk in the end remote from said stick, and the upper end of said stick forming a step bearing for the lower end of said stern.

WILLIAM H. SPINKS. 

